Wrapping machine



Feb. 28, 1933. c; LiTTLEFlELD WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Aug. 1, 192s 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 G Raam y ww W. e M

Ww n [L A m WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Aug. 1, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 634,( A @TOR/yg ys Feb. 28, 1933. Q LITTLEFIELD 1,899,468

WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Aug. 1, 1928 7 sheets-sheet 4 Feb. 28, 1933. c. LITTLEFIELD WRAP'PING MACHINE Filed Aug. 1, 1928 'T Sheets-Sheet 5 [Nl/ENTOR 152/ 6W! [.Ie feld K 2% e a 7 ATTO/eN ys Feb. 2.8, 193.3. c. LITTLEFIELD WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Aug. l, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Cdr( L//f im? B y u@ M TTORNE YS Feb. 28, 1933- c. LITTLEFIELD WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Aug. l, 1928 '7 Sheets-Slheet 7 Patented Feb. 28, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARL LITTLEFIELD, OF BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T BATTLE CREEK BREAD WRAPPING MACHINE COL., OF BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN W'RAIPING MACHINE Application led August 1, 1928'. Serial No. 296,666.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide an improved wrapping machine which is of general utility, and readily adapted for the wrapping of comparatively delicate articles such as cakes and also for the wrapping of boxes or cartons.

Second, to provide an improved folding means by means of which the wrapper is smoothly applied and folded.

Third, to provide in a wrapping machine an improved folding mechanism which may be readily adjusted for articles of different size and character.

Fourth, to provide an improved actuating means for certain of the folders whereby they are permitted to yield under certain conditions, thereby avoiding injury to the articles being wrapped.

Fifth, to provide a translating means by means of which the article wrapped is effectively discharged from certain of the holders which simultaneously act on opposite sides of the article. A

Objects pertaining to details and economies of my invention will definitely appear from-the description to follow. The invention is defined in the claims.

A. wrapping machine embodying the features of my invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front left hand perspective view of my improved wrapping machine.

Fig. 2 isa right handperspective view, parts of the delivery conveyor being broken away.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view illustrating the details of certain of the folders.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective. view of certain of the parts shown in Fig. 3 in another position.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view partially in horizontal section on a line corresponding to line 5-5 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view partially in veiticalzsection on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

1 certain parts shown in Fig. 6 in another operative position.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section of certain is a fragmentary sectional view of parts shown in Fig. 7 in another operative position.

Fig. 9 is a' fragmentary section on line v9--9 tion showing details of the front end and 'l bottom iap folder on its return stroke. v Fig. 13 is a fragmentary section corresponding to that of Fig. 12 showing the parts in another'position.

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the form of fold preferably employed in wrapping a box or carton.

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary plan view of certain parts associated with the pusher and its operating mechanism.

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary plan view ofA parts shown in Fig. 15 in another position.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the frame of the machine which is of suitable Ist-ructure to support the operating parts.

The articles to be Wrapped are fed into the machine from one side, the feed conveyor being designated by the numeral 2. The articles are delivered by this feed conveyor in operative relation toa vertically reciprocating plunger 3 which delivers the articles, indicated at 4 in Figs. 6 and 7, to a position from which they may be pushed on to a conveyor way 5.

The wrappers in the embodiment illustrated are fed from a continuous web 6 by means of a feed and cutter mechanism vdesignated generally by the numeral 7 on to a supporting table interposed between the feed con-v As the wrapper and article to be Wrapped are carried to the position shown in Fig. 6, the Wrapper is -draped over the side of the article and the top end iaps are folded downwardly. This is accomplished by means of a fixed plate-like draping member 8 supported by a bar 9 and the fol-ding or draping member 10 mounted movement on a rockshaft 11. This draping member 10 and the top end iiap folders 12 are mounted on the angled arms 13 carried by the rockshaft.

The draping member 10 is carried by bolts 14 on the arms 13 and is adjustably supported relative thereto by means of spacing sleeves 15. The sleeves are varied in number and length to properly position the draping member.

The top flap folders 12 are carried by bolts 16 and are held in position thereon by spacing sleeves 17 and which is varied; that is, sleeves of other lengths may be substituted to properly position the folders 12.

The rockshaft 11 is driven by a pit-man 19 slidable through a yoke 20 on the wrist pin 21 of the crank disk 22, see Fig. 4. The thrust of the pitman on the wrist pin is delivered through a coiled spring 23 on the pitman supported by the collar 24. This pitman is operated byva mechanical movement designated generally by the numeral 25, see Fig. 2. The mechanical movement employed is the subject matter of my application for Letters Patent Serial No. 140,575, filed October 9, 1926.

This mechanical movement is adapted to impart to the actuating member 26, to which the pitman is connected, a dwell and rapid movement, thereby actuating the arms 13 and the parts carried thereby with a quick stroke to and from operative position and a dwell in operative position. I

The spring 27, one end of which is connected to the rockshaft 11 and the other to the.' bearing pedestal 28, acts to yieldingly return the rockshaft to initial position. These parts are shown in initial position in Fig. 4 and the folders and draping members are shown in actuated or operative position in Figs. 3 and 6.

As stated, he article to be wrapped picks up the wrapper 28, carrying it upward to the position shown in Fig. 6, which drapes the wrapper over the top and sides and also folds the flaps downwardly. The front bottom flap folder 29 and the front end flap folders 30 are then actuated, folding the bottom end flap un-der the article and also folding the front end flaps.

The slide or carriage for the folders 29 and 30 which reciprocates on theyway 131 is not detailed but is operated by the lever 31 connected by the pitman 32 to a crank disk 33 on the shaft 133. This shaft 133 is connected bythe sprocket chain, indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and suitable sprockts, not illustrated, to the main driving shaft for. swinglng 18, the relative length of The pusher 34 has vertical slots 35 therein through which the front flap folders 30 reciprocate, the pusher and these folders having an independent reciprocating movement. The slide 36 by which the pusher is carried is connected `by the link 37 to a lever 38 pivoted at 39 and operated -through a pitman 40 from the crank disk 41. The pusher 1s mounted upon the slide for limited movement independently thereof by means of a pair of rods 42 and 43, see Figs. 15 and 16. The rod 42 has a coiled spring 44 thereon coacting with the thrust collar 45 to hold the pusher in itsretracted position on the slidc. The rod 43 is extended rearwardly and provided with a roller 46 engaged by the cam arm 47 on the lever 38.

On the forward stroke of the slide and as the lever 38 approaches the end of its lwork or forward stroke, this cam arm 47 engages the roller 46 imparting further movement to the pusher, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 15. As the pusher returns to its initial position it engages a bumper 48 mounted on a fixed part of the frame.

It will be understood, of course, that the actuation of the rockshaft 11, the front bottom and end apfolders, the kfeed plunger on the way 5 with their front ends somewhat at the rear of the folder 49 to fold the rear end iaps as the packages or articles are pushed along on the way. The way 5 is provided with oppositely disposed curvedconverging slots or openings 51 with which thc' bottom end flaps are engaged by means of the deflectors 52 which depend from the folders 50 into the forward ends of the openings 51 so that the bottom end flaps lare guided into these openings and into engagement with the flap turning edges 53 thereof. As the articles are pushed along the way 5 with their bottom end flaps projecting into these openings, the end flaps are gradually turned upwardly until they lie flat against the under side of the article and pass from the slots.

At the rear of these bottom flap folders or turners I preferably arrange sealing units shown conventionally at 54 which coact with the flaps on the bottom of the package, causing the sameto be sealed where paraflined wrappers are used. l

The packages are delivered from the machine by the delivery conveyor 55.

The machine is also designed so that with slight modification it may be used for wrapping cartons with folds such as shown in Fig. 14. To form these folds the rear end flap folders 50 are removed, the front ends of the flap folders 56 folding the rear end flaps. These iap folders have rearwardly and upwardly curved slots providing bottom iiap folders 57; that is, the lower edges of these slots serve to turn the flaps upwardly as the packages are carried along.

The heating units 58 are mounted on the extensions 59 of the flap folders, thereby sealing the overlapped flaps.

In wrapping cartons and the like the bottom flap folders 29 are provided with creasing fingers 60, which are mounted on the upper side of the folders 29, having upturned ends 61 which ride over the bottom flaps close to the bottom edge of the package, creasing the same or folding it down firmly so that a close fold is provided when the bottom iap is turned upwardly.

The flap folders 50 and 56 and the heating units are all mounted on the plate-like way member 5 which is secured in position by screws 62 so that it may be removed as a complete unit if desired and another plate substituted. The way member 5 is mounted so that it may also be adjusted longitudinally, thereby varying the position of its front end, the way member being provided with holes 63 adapted to receive the screws 62.

r The front edge of the way member carries the bar 64 which becomes a part thereof and is, in effect, a sheet guiding member.'

My improved wrapping machine is .of large capacity, and is welladapted for wrapping delicate articles such as cakes or boxed and packaged articles. I have described in detail only such parts as seem to me essential to the proper understanding and embodiment of` my invention. p

The adaptation illustrated is one which has proven very satisfactory as a commercial structure. I'have not attempted to illustrate and describe various modifications which I contemplate as I belieye the disclosure made will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my improvements as may be desired. g

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 71. In a wrapping machine, the combination of a way, a pusher slide reciprocating longitudinally of said way, a pusher mount- ,ed for limited independent reciprocating movement on said slide, a spring acting to hold said pusher in its retracted position -on said slide, means for reciprocating said slide and moving said pusher on said slide at the end of the stroke of the slide, an article feed means adapted to deliver articles to be wrapped into operative relation to said pusher and said way, a wrapper feed means delivering across the path of said articlev feed means, a rockshaft provided with angled vrockshaft to its initial position, means for actuating said rockshaft including a spring, the means for actuating said rockshaft bein synchronized with the actuation of said feecgl means and pusher so that the draping member and top flap folders are in actuated position when the article is delivered by the feed means and are retracted from the path of the article when advanced by said pusher, and front bottom ap and front end flap folders mounted on said slide.

2. In a Wrapping machine, the combinationof a way, a pusher slide reciprocating longitudinally of said way, a pusher mounted for limited independent reciprocating movement on' said slide, a spring acting to hold said pusher in its retracted position on said slide, means for reciprocating said slide and moving said pusher on said slide at the end of the stroke of the slide, an articlefeed means. adapted to deliver articles to be wrapped into operative relation to said pusher and said way, a wrapper feed means delivering across the path of said article feed means, a rockshaft provided with angled arms, a plate-like draping member mounted on said arms, top flap folders mounted on said arms, means for actuating said rockshaft synchronized with the actuation of said fee means and pusher so that the draping member and'top iiap when the article is delivered by the feed means and are retracted from the path of the article when advanced by said pusher, and front botom iap and front end flap folders mounted on said slide.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a way, an article feed means, a wrapper feed means, a reciprocating front bottom flap folder, front end iiap folders,

miv

folders are in actuated position rear end iap folders, said front bottom iap folder being provided with creasing fingers adapted to crease the bottom end flaps, and bottom end iap folders acting in sequence to the creasing operation.

4. In a machine combinationof a way, an article feed means, a wrapper feed means, a reciprocatin front bottom iap folder, front end flap olders, creasing fingers carried by said front bottom flap folder for creasingI the bottom end iaps, and bottom end flap folders acting in sequence to the creasing operation.

5. A wrapping machine including a way, a pusher slide reciprocating longitudinally of said wa a :pusher provided with supporting ro s slidably mounted on said slide,

of the class described, thea spring on one of said rods acting to yieldv 4 l o scenes tion on said slide, an actuating lever, a link connecting said lever to said slide, said lever being provided with an arm coacting with the other rod for actuating the pusher on the 5 slide, an article feed means, and an oscillatingly mounted draping member and top flap folders operating in synchronism with said pusher.

6. In a wrapping machine, the combinationl of a Way, a pusher slide reciprocating longitudinally of said Way, a pusher mounted for limited independent reciprocating movement on said slide, aspring acting to hold said 'pusher in its retracted position on said slide, means for reciprocating said slide and moving said pusher on said slide at the end of the stroke of the slide, and bottom flap and end flap` folders mounted on said slide.

In a wrapping machine, the combination of a Way, a pusher slide reciprocating longitudinally of said way, a pusher mounted for limited independent reciprocating movement on said slide, a spring acting to hold said pusher in its retracted position on said slide, means for reciprocatingsaid slide and moving said pusher on said slide at the end of the stroke of the slide, and flap folders mounted on said slide.

8. In a machine of the class described, the 83 combination of a reciprocating front bottom flap folder, front end Hap' folders, and creasing fingers carried by said front bottom flap folder for creasing the bottom end flaps.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set 'my hand. n

. CARL LITTLEFIELD. 

